Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.27.310.396 on 1 August 1951. Downloaded from 396 WOMEN IN MEDICINE By JANET K. AITKEN, C.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P. Is It is very agreeable to be asked to write about None of the London schools, however, took women in medicine since the earliest days, be- women except, of course, their own special school. cause on the whole it is a story with which the Oxford and Cambridge, King's College Hospital woman doctor is well satisfied and nowadays she and University College Hospital opened during or is, or should be, grateful to those women who just after the first world war, and retained a limited made her present career possible, and to the number of places open till the present day. Five majority of her male colleagues who have accepted other hospitals also began to take women students, this break with tradition, some even being most St. George's, Westminster, St. Mary's, Charing active in giving their assistance. Cross and London, but later they decided not to The London School of Medicine for Women, admit women, St. George's in 1919, so that it was after its early struggles, had outgrown its quarters, understood that the gesture had been purely aProtected by copyright. and boldly the Dean, Mrs. Elizabeth Garrett war measure; but the others kept on for a number Anderson, and her Council had planned a new of years and then decided against the admission of building, the first part of which was opened in women. One hospital admitted that the reason 1898; but the Council was still much in debt. was because the lessening of the number of male However, in 900o Dr. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson students diminished the number of the pool from writes, 'We have had another splendid donation which their football team could be chosen! In any this week, £5,ooo for the School, it is from a kind case it was a hardship for the women students who Mr. Turle, not a very rich man.' Obviously, had already been taken to belong to a school however, a very sincere sympathizer! where women were no longer admitted. The In I90o the School became one of the colleges same disability was felt by all the students of the of the University of London, and in I902 students West London which opened as a co-education who had qualified from the School got their school in I937 but which, on the advice of the longed-for opportunity and began to hold resident Goodenough Report to the University of London, posts at the Royal Free Hospital. Appointments closed as an undergraduate teaching hospital and http://pmj.bmj.com/ to the honorary visiting staff followed. The first school in I947. At the same time Guy's, St. Bar- steps had been taken-a few women doctors were tholomew's, St. Thomas' and Middlesex, decided beginning to get the same opportunities for ex- to take a limited number of women and the Royal perience as their male colleagues. Free Hospital to take men students. At the present It was interesting that in I908 technical educa- time, therefore, in all schools there are an adequate tion was made eligible for a Parliamentary grant. number of places available for women students. No time was lost by the then Dean, Miss Cock, in Thus in the fairly early days undergraduate proving that medical training was technical. Thus teaching could be obtained with some ease, but on September 29, 2021 by guest. the London School of Medicine for Women was post-graduate experience was a different matter. the first school to obtain this handsome grant. Women students when they had qualified were Other medical schools soon followed suit and the only gradually admitted to resident house jobs, and Treasury grant became an important part of the the women often felt the need of further ex- incomes of all the medical schools. perience both for general practice and for specialist Officially the Edinburgh school was opened in work. In fact, of course, it was really impossible I869, but the University was not open to students to hope for consultant status without further and till I9I6, though in I886 they allowed extra-mural continued hospital experience. This lack of post- teaching and the women could obtain the Scottish graduate opportunity and the knowledge that an Conjoint Diploma. Bristol opened their doors to increasing number of patients were clamouring women in I891, Durham in 1893, and by I9II all for their services led to great efforts in starting a the Scottish and provincial hospitals were taking number of hospitals for women and children women students except Oxford and Cambridge. staffed by women doctors. Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.27.310.396 on 1 August 1951. Downloaded from August 1951 AITKEN : Women in Medicine 397 As Elizabeth Garrett had qualified in I866, she Martindale in Brighton. As in London and started a dispensary practice in Seymour Place Edinburgh, the first early effort was a dispensary, and from the first Dr. Hughlings Jackson and Dr. in I898, and then a few beds followed. The Broadbent were her consulting physicians and Mr. first branch to develop in this case was the Lady Critchett, Mr. Thomas Smith and Mr. Norton Chichester Hospital for Women and Children, acted on the surgical side. By I871, 9,000 patients' which later, after the birth of the general hospital, names were on the books. By I872 they had added the New Sussex Hospital for Women and Children, ten beds, and in I874 they leased three houses in was devoted entirely to the treatment of cases of Marylebone Road because the pressure of work early nervous breakdown. In I939 the New Sussex was so great. Two women physicians with Hospital was a most successful hospital for women Zurich degrees, Miss Morgan and Mrs. Louisa and children, with 84 beds. Atkins, joined the staff. By i888 it was necessary Another interesting enterprise was the opening, to expand, and the Prince and Princess of Wales in 190o, of the East Anglian Sanatorium, which opened the New Hospital for Women at I44, owed its existence to the zeal and enthusiasm Euston Road. It continued to progress and en- of Dr. Jane Walker. She was one of the first in this large. At the time of the death of Mrs. Garrett country to believe in open air treatment for Anderson in 1917, when there was still more tuberculosis, and she had great faith in rehabilita- building, the name of the hospital was changed to tion by encouragement in suitable occupation. the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, The purpose of this hospital was a little different familiarly known as the E.G.A. Late in the I939 from that of some of the other hospitals described, war, when taxis were very scarce, the matron and but many women doctors got post-graduate ex- a man hailed a taxi at the same time, the driver perience at Naylands. asked each where wanted to and he chose In 1911 Miss Maud Chadbum saw the number they go Protected by copyright. the matron. She was honoured by this pre- of women who had to be turned away from the ference and had the fare plus a handsome tip Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in London ready, but the driver said, 'On no, my wife was owing to the lack of space and facilities for treat- so happy and well cared for at the E.G.A. that I ment, and she knew also that the-difficulty that vowed I'd never take a fare from anybody who women had in gaining postgraduate experience wanted to go there! ' still existed. She made up her mind to start a In Edinburgh, meanwhile, Dr. Sophia Jex new hospital on the south bank. In faith the small Blake (who had been in practice since 1878) and amount of money available was spent in buying the others were feeling the same needs, and in I885 the site and an appeal was launched. The appeal effort Edinburgh Hospital and Dispensary for Women was a letter to The Times, and this letter evoked an and Children came into being. It grew out of angry and rude reply from a male colleague. The possibilities of development on its first site and prejudice of the writer caught the eye of a friend Bruntsfield Lodge was bought, and in 1903 a new of women doctors. A representative called on hospital was opened. Meanwhile Dr. Elsie Inglis Miss Chadbur and asked her if it would be http://pmj.bmj.com/ and others had started a hospice in I899. Much certain that the new hospital would admit only obstetric work was done here and in I910 these women and children and would only be officered two pioneer efforts were united administratively. by women doctors. On being reassured on this In 1916 the University arranged that some of the point the whole sum required was promised im- obstetric teaching of the women students should mediately and anonymously! In all about be done at the hospice. In 1923 a new hospital 1Ioo,ooo was given-a large sum now, but even was built as a memorial to Dr. Elsie Inglis, who more valuable in those days. So this hospital, the had died after her return from Russia in I9I7. South London Hospital for Women and Children, on September 29, 2021 by guest. Many Scottish graduates are grateful to these did not gradually develop from small beginnings, Edinburgh hospitals for post-graduate experience, though it too outgrew its premises, new depart- both junior and senior.